For both beginner and seasoned motorcyclists, KTM's 390 series has proven to be a popular choice for practical city riding, as well as spirited rides on the track or twisty roads. Since the 390 Duke's second generation hit the market in 2017, the bike has remained pretty much unchanged, save for the addition of performance-oriented tech like upgraded electronics and adjustable suspension.
Despite already rocking thoroughly modern aesthetics, you could certainly say that the outgoing 390 Duke's styling was beginning to look dated, especially in comparison to some of the newer bikes on the market. As such, the launch of the 2024 390 Duke seems timely, as it not only gives the lightweight athletic streetfighter an aesthetic overhaul, but bestows a slew of performance upgrades in the process.
Styling
In terms of styling, the new 390 Duke is completely new from head to tail. There are still a few similarities in terms of the overall look, however, it's clear that KTM has given the bike's aggressive styling a rethink. Up front, we find a split-style LED headlight with an angular housing with DRLs providing a more aggressive design. Apart from that, the tank covers are more substantial, extending forward from the fuel tank and overlapping with the front forks.
Moving towards the middle of the bike, the trellis frame has been revised as well, with the rear shock now offset to the right side of the bike. The swingarm is new, as well, giving the bike a more compact appearance. Last but not least, the 2024 KTM 390 Duke rolls on newly designed 17-inch alloy wheels. Overall, the new Duke still looks very supermoto-inspired, and unmistakably KTM.
Performance and technology
Contrary to what some had previously speculated, the 390 Duke is not ditching the single-cylinder powerplant in favor of a twin. The 2024 Duke very much relies on a thumper, albeit one that's been redesigned and modernized for extra performance. For starters, displacement has been bumped up to 399cc, and power is now up to 44 horsepower. It dishes out 39 Newton-meters (28 pound-feet) of torque, which is marginally more power than its predecessor.
Governing the power and torque output of the bike is a throttle-by-wire system that offers three ride modes: Rain, Street, and Track. Fancy race-derived electronics such as cornering ABS and traction control, as well as even launch control are on offer here. There's also an up and down quickshifter as an optional extra.
In terms of suspension, the new 390 Duke is equipped with 43-millimeter inverted front forks from WP. The premium setup includes compression and rebound damping adjustment as standard. Meanwhile, the rear shock has been repositioned laterally and to the side to make way for a larger airbox.
Pricing and availability
As of this writing, KTM has yet to announce official pricing for the 2024 KTM 390 Duke in the US market. However, given the sheer success of the outgoing model, you can bet that Team Orange will be quick to release the new Corner Rocket in stateside. For reference, the outgoing model carries a retail price of $5,899 USD, and given just how much new tech and style has been stuffed into the new model, we can surely expect a slightly higher price for the new bike.
